


Rivalry

by SidemenFanficLover



Category: Pack - Fandom, sidemen - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-06 23:21:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10346880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SidemenFanficLover/pseuds/SidemenFanficLover
Summary: Masks, lies, deception. Betrayal. This is the world that Vik knows. His world, and theirs. His gang, and theirs. His friends, and theirs. The other side is the enemy. But what is he suppose to do when he falls in love with the enemy? Who can he trust, and who will betray him?Which gang will he choose; his or theirs?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oneswhonever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneswhonever/gifts).



“Vik.” A slight pause. “Vik,” was called, slightly louder. Then a sigh. “VIK!”

Vik jumped. “Uh yeah?” he asked turning to look at Simon.

“Why are you always staring off into the distance?”

Vik smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I just got distracted.”

“No shit.” Simon glared at Vik, watching him squirm slightly. “C’mon. JJ wants to see you.”

Vik nodded and followed Simon, falling a bit behind everytime he stopped to say hello to the other members they passed. He counted four; Ethan, Tobi, Harry and Manny. Callum and Cal were out on a mission, and Josh was probably hanging out with JJ. JJ, Simon and Josh were the three leaders, JJ was first in command, then Simon, and then Josh. The rest of them saw each other as equals more or less.

“VIK!” Simon’s voice cut through the quiet, startling Vik.

“Shit, sorry Simon.” He had stopped walking, just staring into space thinking.

“Why have you been so distracted recently?” Simon scolded. “And at a time when we need you to be focused! C’mon! I expect better Vik.”

“Yes sir.” Vik hung his head, trying to look meek and apologetic. Everyone else was excited, and was training hard. In a month, they were going to be able to destroy the other gang, _finally_. Vik was the only one who wasn’t excited. He didn’t think that the Pack was bad, if anything, they were pretty cool. But his opinion didn’t matter. He didn’t have a voice on the council due to him not being able to contribute to the gang. The only reason he was here was because of JJ, being his “boy-toy” as the others said. But Vik didn’t mind. He couldn’t take offense at the truth.

“We’re here Vik.” Simon stared at the distracted boy. He never understood JJ’s decision to let Vik join. Vik didn’t add anything to the group, all he did was satisfy JJ sexual desires. Which was good, Simon supposed. If it wasn’t Vik, odds are it would have been him. And Simon wasn’t a bottom. No way in hell.

“Thanks Simon.” Simon looked down at the nervous boy. Vik was rubbing his hands on his pants, trying to get rid of the sweat. Simon felt slightly bad for the kid, but he didn’t let that show. He just inclined his head slightly and walked away. Vik’s problems weren’t his to deal with.

Vik sighed and turned towards the door, after finding no reassurance in Simon’s eyes. He hoped JJ was in a good mood, and he wasn’t being called here to be yelled at. Vik took a deep breath and knocked. The sound echoed in the empty warehouse. He heard a grunt and then the door was opened to reveal Josh’s face.

“It’s Vik,” Josh called out, looking at whom Vik assumed was JJ. Josh must have received some kind of signal, because he opened the door and let Vik.

“Hey Vik.” Vik turned towards the sound to see JJ staring at him.

“Hey JJ.” He was nervous. JJ had been too busy to do anything with Vik recently, so Vik didn’t know what to expect. Was he in trouble? Did JJ think he was screwing someone else? That had happened before, Josh (different one) had said that Vik had been making advances, and so he had agreed to Vik’s demands. Vik hadn’t demanded anything, Josh had just assumed that he could screw Vik because, hey, boy-toy right? JJ had been pissed. Granted, Vik had taken a lot of the punishment, because no one believed Vik over Josh, and the only person who’d believe Vik, which was JJ, and he had refused to see him. But JJ found out later, and there was a reason that there was a recently dug up place in the park near them. Nobody ever mentioned it, but all of the gang members got the message; Vik was to be left alone.

"Hello Vik." JJ smiled at him. "We're so close. As soon as the two Cals come back, and they have the information we need, we are finally going to be able to destroy the Pack."

Josh smirked. "Finally."

Vik smiled, or at least he thought he did. He didn't want to kill a bunch of other people like them, forced into gangs because of unfortunate situations.

"What's wrong Vik? Aren't you happy?" Vik looked up to see Josh towering over him.

"Of course!" he squeaked out.

"You're certainly doing a lot of celebrating," Josh stated sarcastically.

"I'm just thinking." Vik looked down at his feet. He hoped they wouldn't push it. He wasn't made to be in a gang. He didn't like the intimidation, the whispers in the corners, the way everyone looked down upon him.

"Less thinking Vik, more fucking." Vik looked up to see JJ grinning at him, and Vik quickly put a smile on his face. He never let his mask slip in front of JJ, never. JJ was the only reason he was alive.

"Well, I'm sure you guys don't want me to join," Josh drawled as he made his way to the door. "So I'll just let you guys screw on the table together in peace."

Vik blushed, but JJ laughed and picked Vik up, depositing him on the table. Josh smirked at Vik before shutting the door behind him.

"You've no idea how much I want to be inside of you," JJ growled in Vik's ear, his voice turning husky. 

Vik shivered as he felt JJ's teeth graze his earlobe. "Then what are you waiting for?" he asked breathlessly. JJ smirked.

"Well then," he whispered in Vik's ear. "Let's have some fun."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, Cal=Calfreezy and Callum/Lux= Callux

Preston was talking. Sometimes, it seemed like he never stopped. That mouth kept moving and moving, and bullshit constantly came out. 

Lachlan sighed, and slumped even further down on his chair. Everyone in the Pack was one edge. There had been suspicious movement from their rival gang; the Sidemen, and everyone was one edge about what they were planning.

“Preston!” Lachlan’s head jerked up to see Jon grinning. “Look what we found!” Following Jon was Mike, and he wasn’t alone. Cal was with him. Behind Cal came Rob, who was probably there to make sure Cal didn’t escape.

“We found him sneaking around. His buddy escaped, but we got this one.” Mike gestured towards Cal. “I’m sure he’ll be able to give us good information.”

Preston smiled. “Thanks F2,” he said, grinning at them.

Lachlan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. F2 was constantly sucking up to Preston, and Preston was constantly sucking up to F2. “Why don’t you just fuck already?" he grumbled, not intending anyone to hear, but by judging by Preston's weird look, it seemed he was overheard.

"What should we do with him?" Mike asked.

"Take him to the cells Mike. Jon, help him. Preston and I need to talk about this," Rob instructed. Lachlan smirked at the annoyed expression that flashed across Mike's face. Mike used to be the captain of F2, but when Preston became the gang leader, he made Rob the leader of F2. Mike had never seemed to be able to get over it. But then again, if Lachlan was in Mike's place, he wouldn't be able to get over it either. Mike got to his leader status by talent, Rob got it because Preston fucked him, or at least, that's what the rumors said.

"What do we do Rob?" Lachlan looked at Preston. Mike and Jon had left, leaving Preston, Lachlan and Rob; the top three. Preston was the undisputed leader, but Lachlan and Rob could never decide who was second and who was third. Rob lead F2, making him feel like he was higher ranked, but Lachlan was the better leader. The other members had more respect for Lachlan, and Rob knew it. 

"We have to figure out what he knows." Lachlan turned his attention back to the conversation.

"And how do you suppose we do that Rob?" Lachlan challenged. "Torture? Bribery? Blackmail?"

"Torture is the only thing that would work." Rob smirked.

"And if we torture him, Olajide will murder us. He will never stop hunting us." Lachlan glared at Rob, and Rob glared back.

"Enough." Preston slammed his hand down on the table, glaring at both of them. "Enough of your stupid dominance plays. We need this pack to be united right now. As much as I don't want to, we need to figure out what Cal knows, and that means torture." Lachlan opened his mouth to protest, but Preston held up his hand for silence. "If we don't figure out what the Sidemen are planning, we're dead. So the way I look at it, we're dead either way. But the only way that has a chance of us actually surviving is by figuring out what Cal knows."

"So you think we should torture him?" Lachlan snarled.

"Yes."

"Well that's bullshit!" Lachlan exclaimed. "There are other ways to figure out what they're planning!"  
"Really? Like what?" Rob asked, crossing his arms and leaning agaisnt the wall.

"Spies, bribes, whatever necessary." 

"Our last spy's dead, we have nothing to bribe them with except Cal, and if they plan to take them out, then I'm going to make sure they suffer in trying to bring us down." Rob smirked, knowing he'd won.

"Why don't we used Cal as a bribe?" Lachlan tried again.

"Olajide wouldn't trade him." Both Lachlan and Rob turned to look at Preston. "He wouldn't. Trading information for Cal means they have to change their plan. And if he leaves Cal with us, there's a good chance we won't get anything."

"He's also a spy, which means he knows what's coming. AND he's their interrogator. He knows the tricks we'll use, and he knows how to beat them." Lachlan glared at both of them. "You really think you'll get ANYTHING out of him?"

"Olajide thinks we won't get anything out of him, so when we do, we'll have the advantage," Rob replied.

"Well looks who's being overconfident," Lachlan answered back.

"And looks who's being a pessimist," Rob replied.

"It's called being realistic. Something NEITHER of you seem to know how to do," Lachlan growled. "You're going to get us all killed."

"Don't you think you're exaggerating a little bit Lachlan?" Preston asked.

"No. I don't."

"Hey, no need to get your panties in a twist." Rob smirked.

"Shut the fuck up Rob!" Lachlan snapped.

"ENOUGH!" They both looked at Preston. "How the HELL are we suppose to win this if you two can't even get along? How the HELL are we suppose to make decisions? Unite everyone? How am I suppose to lead everyone if my two advisers want to rip each other limb from limb?"

Rob looked slightly embarrassed, but Lachlan seethed. 

"If you want us to work together," he snarled. "Then make a fucking decision about who's second and who's third!"

"You want my decision that bad Lachlan?" Preston asked, eyes flashing in anger. "Fine. Rob's second, you're third. Happy?"

Rob smirked at Lachlan.

"Course you'd choose your fuck boy." Lachlan snapped, before turning around and striding out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first few chapters are going to be short, they're just for introduction really. But I'm hoping everyone is enjoying them!


	3. Chapter 3

Vik was walking, glad to be out of the warehouse. It’d been forever since he last left. He didn’t like leaving, the outside wasn’t the safest place for him to be. JJ was always afraid the Pack would try to kidnap Vik and use him against JJ. And really? Vik couldn’t protest. You’d think he would have learned something useful living with the gang, but no. He was still as useless as when he first came here; couldn't run, couldn’t fight, couldn’t kill. He could understand why the rest of the gang resented him. He walked around favored, not because of anything he did, but because of the fact that JJ like to fuck him. 

"Useless," Vik scoffed, kicking a rock and watching it roll down an alley.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Vik whipped around only to come face-to-face with someone he didn't recognize.

"Who are you?" Vik stammered, backing up. Unfortunately for him, he hit a wall.

"Name's Mitch."

"What do you want with me?" Vik asked as Mitch advanced closer.

"I'm curious as to why one of the Sidemen is on Pack land." Vik whipped his head around. Shit! He'd been so distracted, he hadn't realized that he'd crossed over. Vik gluped. He was dead. Mitch was going to kill him, and Vik would never be seen again. Not that anyone would miss, except JJ.

"I didn't realize that this was Pack land. I'm sorry," Vik apologized, hoping Mitch would let him go. "If you could just let me-"

"Go back to your land? I don't think so. I don't know what you're doing here, you clearly aren't a fighter, and if you're a spy, you're a shit one, but if I let you go, I'm as good as dead."

"Please Mitch," Vik begged. Why did he leave the warehouse? How  _fucking_ _stupid_ was he? He never left the warehouse, now he'd be used against JJ and the rest of the Sidemen. He'd fucked up, big time. And this time, JJ couldn't help him.

Mitch smiled. "Sorry," he offered and then clocked Vik in the jaw. Vik felt the momentary pain, and then slid into the darkness.

<>

"He's awake." Vik groaned and raised his head groggily. He tried to move his arms but couldn't. Vik blinked and looked at his arms, seeing the ropes that bound him to the chair.

"How do you feel?" the voice asked. Vik couldn't see who was asking, there was a bright light being shined in his face. 

"Like crap," he answered.

The was a couple of different laughters.  _Great,_ Vik thought to himself.  _Multiple people interrogating him._

"What's your name?"

"What's yours?" Vik countered, feeling a small bit of courage.

There was a pause. "Preston," came the reply. Vik felt his stomach drop.  _Preston?_ he was screwed. Of course he got the leader. Of course. The only person who might actually know who he is. JJ had kept him a secret for obvious reasons, but Vik was 90% sure Preston knew about him.

"So, what's your name?" Vik hesitated. Should he lie? No, Vik decided. If Preston really was his interrogator, and he knew who Vik was, then lying wouldn't do any good.

"Vik," he replied.

"I knew it!" some called out. Vik strained his eyes to see who it was, but to no avail.

"Mitch, turn the lights on," a voice, Preston's maybe? called out. Then the lights were on, and Vik could see. There was four of them; Preston, Mitch (who he knew from earlier), and two other guys.

"Vik, meet Rob, Mitch and Mike. And you know me, I'm Preston." Vik nodded and studied the four guys. 

"So, why was Olajide's boy toy over on our side? Bored of one leader and thought you'd move onto the other one?" Someone asked. Vik was pretty sure it was Rob.

"Shut your fucking mouth Rob. No one's coming to take your place." Vik turned his head to see another person he didn't recognize. This guy had blonde hair and the most beautiful blue eyes Vik had ever seen. They were so bright and vibrant.

"Shut the fuck up Lachlan. No one gives a damn about the crap that comes out of your mouth," Rob shot back. So that was his name. Vik liked it, it was pretty. 

"Preston, I'm sorry you have to deal with Rob's mouth. I bet he doesn't wash it, so it probably tastes of shit all the fucking time," Lachlan replied, smirking.

Rob lunged forward and grabbed Lachlin's shirt pushing him against the wall. "You better shut the fuck up or-"

"Or what? You'll make me?" Lachlan sneered.

"Lachlan. Robert. ENOUGH," Preston snapped. "If you two can't get along, then I'll have to replace both my second AND third. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," they replied, Rob letting go of Lachlan's shirt.

"Good."

"Who do we have here?" Lachlan asked, looking at the boy in the chair.

"Vik," came Preston's reply.

"And why do we have him tied up? He couldn't hurt a fly if he tried!" Lachlan exclaimed.

Rob snorted. "For once, I agree with the blonde."

Lachlan looked surprised. "Wow. The homeless man agreed with me."

"Shut it you two." Preston glared at them. "I'm sick and tired of having you two constantly go at each other. What did I do to get stuck with you two?" he snapped, before turning and leaving. "We'll finish this up later," he called over his shoulder.

Rob shrugged and walked after Preston.

"Go chase after his dick you asshole," Lachlan grumbled, staring daggers into Rob's retreating back.

"What do you want us to do Lachlan?" Lachlan turned to see Mitch and Mike looking at him.

"Untie the prisoner for one." They both nodded and soon after, Vik was free.

"Thanks," he said, looking at the three of them nervously.

"Can you guys give us some privacy please?" Lachlan asked. Mike hesitated, but Mitch grabbed his arm, and dragged him from the room.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Lachlan, third in command." Lachlan held out his hand for Vik to shake it.

Vik accepted. "I'm Vik, JJ's fuck boy," he replied automatically, before his eyes widened in surprise and his hands covered his mouth.

"So he admits it!" Lachlan exclaimed triumphantly.

"Shit, I shouldn't have said that!" Vik started backing away from Lachlan. Great. "Go ahead then. I suppose you're going to knock me out and use me as bait then."

Lachlan watched Vik. "No. You don't know anything, and I don't hurt innocents."

Vik looked up in surprise. "What?"

"You heard what I said."

"Okay.. so.. now what?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure this is the part where you thank me, and then walk through those doors and never return to Pack territory again." Lachlan smiled. He knew he was going to get into a shit ton of trouble for this, and it was going to hurt like hell. But it was worth it. Every bit of pain.

"I.. uh... thank you," Vik stammered.

"Go Vik," Lachlan encouraged. "Before anyone comes back."

Vik smiled, then turned and ran. Lachlan prayed he'd make it. It'd be a downright pity to torture a boy as cute as him.


	4. Chapter 4

"Where the hell is he?" JJ demanded, and then slammed his hand on the table, causing both Simon and Josh to flinch.

"We don't know," Simon replied, trying to hide how nervous he was. "He's not in the warehouse or in any of the safe-houses, and if he left, he didn't take anyone with him."

"We," Josh began, gesturing to Simon and himself, but upon seeing Simon's glare corrected himself. "i mean,  _I_ think he was taken. By the Pack."

"Well then," JJ raised his head to stare Josh in the eyes. "You better go find him."

"On Pack territory?" Simon exclaimed, realizing his mistake too late.

JJ's head whipped around to stare at Simon. "If that's where Vik is, then yes. Because if the Pack has him, and they figure out who he is, all of our plans, EVERY SINGLE ONE, is useless."

"But, Vik doesn't know anything," Josh pointed out.

"He knows something," JJ grumbled, annoyed at himself for telling Vik some of their plans. "But I'm not going to destroy their place WITH VIK IN IT! Do you understand me?"

"Crystal clear," Simon and Josh replied. Turning, Simon reached to open the door so they could begin the search for Vik, only to have it open before Simon could. Simon and Josh could only stare in shock as Vik crossed the threshold into the meeting area.

He looked around, confused. "Did I miss something important?" he asked.

JJ began laughing, and after sharing a relieved smile, Simon and Josh joined in.

"Guys? Why are you laughing?" Inside, Vik was relieved that they were laughing. He wasn't going to get into too much trouble, right?

Almost as if he had heard Vik's thoughts JJ stopped laughing. Josh and Simon halted too. "Where were you?" JJ demanded.

"I took a walk," Vik replied. He had always been a shit liar, so sticking as close to the truth was best. There was no way he was going to tell JJ what had happened, Vik would only get grilled for information, and then he would get even less freedom than before. Hell, they'd probably put a leash on him.

JJ watched Vik carefully. "And did anything happen on this... walk?" he asked, measuring Vik's expression.

"No," Vik replied, keeping his voice steady, praying JJ wouldn't notice. If JJ knew he was lying...

"Good. But in the future Vik, try staying in the warehouse," JJ requested. Vik smiled and nodded, and knew better than to release his relieved sigh.

"Yeah Vik. JJ was in some desperate need of a hole to fuck, and you weren't around. The gang and I were to the point that we were considering drawing starws," Simon teased, only to have JJ stare daggers at him.

"And Mr-who-thinks-he's-fucking-hilarious and I will be leaving now." Josh smiled, and grabbed Simon's arm, dragging him from the room.

Once the door slammed shut behind them, JJ stood up and walked over to where Vik was. "Are you okay?" he asked him.

"I'm fine JJ, nothing happened. Really." Vik smiled at JJ.

"Vik..." JJ growled. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm serious JJ! Nothing happened!" Vik protested.

JJ grabbed Vik's chin and tilted his head upwards, forcing him to make eye contact with JJ. "Tell me the truth Vik. Look me in the eyes, and tell me the goddamn truth!"

"Nothing happened JJ," Vik replied, trying to keep his voice calm and believable. But the tremble in his voice gave him away.

"Goddamn it Vik," JJ growled, letting go of the boy. "Why the hell don't you trust me?"

"I do JJ. But it's nothing you need to worry about," Vik reply, watching JJ pace across the floor.

JJ looked over at the boy and strode over to him. "I worry about YOU Vik. YOU. So if something happened to you, then yes, it IS something for me to worry about," JJ growled, staring at Vik's surprised face, never breaking eye contact.

Finally, Vik broke the eye contact moving his eyes downward. "Nothing happened JJ," he whispered. But there was a sad tone in his voice that told JJ he was lying.

"Fine. If you don't want to tell me the truth, fine. But until you do, you are considered on of the Sidemen. Officially. No favored status, no special privileges. You are to fight, to train and work with the other members."

Vik's head jerked up in surprise. "But.. they hate me! And I can't fight."

JJ shrugged and turned his back on Vik. "Well then, you better learn. Otherwise, you won't last long in this world."

Vik felt his stomach drop. He wanted to protest, to scream that it wasn't fair. But he knew a dismissal when he saw one.  He nodded and left, walking out of the war room. He doubted that he'd ever be invited back in there again.

<>

"You let him go?" Preston yelled. "How fucking stupid are you? He was our only, ONLY lead!"

Lachlan shifted his eyes downwards. "He didn't know anything.

"Like hell he didn't," Preston snarled. "He's Olajide's fuck boy. OF COURSE he knew something!"

"He got too attached to him. Didn't want the little boy to get roughed up," Rob scoffed.

Lachlan glared at Rob. "Would you have beaten up a kid like that?"

"He's not a kid! He's in Olajide's gang! You've killed us all!" Rob snarled, slamming his fist into Lachlan's stomach.

Lachlan gasped and doubled over. When he'd regained his breath he stood up and glared at Rob. "Well then, you're a heartless bastard."

That was the last straw for Rob, as he lunged at Lachlin slamming his fists at whatever he could get. Lachlan, with his hands chained to the ceiling, didn't have much ability to protect himself.

"Enough!" Mitch yelled, pulling Rob off Lachlan, seeing that Preston wasn't going to do anything. But Rob wouldn't stop, and he quickly overpowered Mitch. "What the hell is wrong with you Preston? Call your guard dog off!"

"No," Preston answered, watching Rob beat up Lachlan. "He needs to learn his lesson."

Mitch looked like he was about to protest, but Lachlan shook his head. He'd take the beatings, it would satisfy Rob and Preston and only give him some bruises. 

Mitch hesitated. He wanted to helped Lachlan but if Lachlan didn't want help... He sighed and left the room. He may not be able to help Lachlan, but he wasn't going to watch Rob beat the shit out of him. Besides, he could do other things, like rally Lachlan's troops. Preston may lead, but it was Lachlan that the Pack answered to.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey Vik." Vik raised his head to see Simon standing next to him. Vik slowly rose to his feet.

"What do you want?" he asked, albeit a little hostile. He came out here, in the middle of nowhere, to be alone.

"I heard about your punishment and-"

"And what? You thought's you come and make fun?" Vik accused.

"No. I'm here to ask if you want help training," Simon offered, understanding that Vik was annoyed.

"I don't need your pity Simon," Vik growled.

"It's not pity Vik! I'm offering to help you!" Simon exclaimed.

"And I don't want, nor need your 'help'," Vik mocked.

Simon huffed. "Fine." He headed out the door and called over his shoulder. "But Vik, if you took your head out of your ass once in a while you might understand why the rest of the gang doesn't like you."

"Right," Vik scoffed, watching Simon's retreating back. Why was he forced to suffer? The only thing that he had done was to try and make sure peace, however temporary it may be, was kept. Why the FUCK couldn't JJ understand that!?

"I hate this," Vik grumbled, and then took another chug out of the bottle in his hand. He had never been fully drunk before, but he was getting there, and fast. 

"Hey Vik!" A voice called out. Could it be Callum? It seemed like it was Callum.

Suddenly, he was grabbed and shoved against the wall. "Did you that Josh was a friend of mine?" he snarled in Vik's face. "And he's dead, because of you. And the rest of the gang and I couldn't get revenge, no, because JJ was protecting you. Well, he's not protecting you now." There was a couple laughs, but Vik didn't know who they were. And why was the room starting to spin?

"He's drunk!" A voice called out. There was some laughs, but Vik didn't focus on that. Instead, he was focused on Callum's fist, which was slamming itself into his face, his stomach, any part of him Callum could hit. It wasn't long before the others joined in. Vik knew that, because all of a sudden, he was on the ground, and multiple feet were leaving bruises on him. Vik had a feeling he should fight back, protest, but to be honest, he couldn't give a damn. Let them beat the shit out of him, maybe JJ will change his mind. Or maybe not, and if he didn't, then Vik knew the guys would come and beat the shit out of him again, and again, and again. 

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Was the last thing Vik heard before he slumped into unconsciousness.

<>

"C'mon Lachlan." Lachlan groaned. His whole body ached. "Shh, take it easy there buddy."

"Hey Mitch," Lachlan rasped.

"Hey Lachlan."

"How ya doing?" Asked a second voice.

"I don't know Jerome, how does it look like I'm doing?" Lachlan replied. "Do I look fabulous? Like I'm the next runway model?"

"Very funny Lachlan," Mitch sighed. "Come on buddy, you need to move your feet." It took a moment for Lachlan to realize that he was no longer chained to the ceiling.

"Right. Um.. Mitch, where are we going?" Lachlan asked as Mitch and Jerome half-helped, half-carried Lachlan away from the Pack's main base.

"We're taking you to my place," Jerome replied.

"Huh. Didn't know you had a place Jerome," Lachlan answered, looking slightly puzzled.

"Yeah, well, no one knew." Jerome paused. "Except Mitch that is," he amended.

"Great," Lachlan muttered groggily, before the world went dark and he collapsed.

<>

"How do you feel now?" Mitch asked when Lachlan woke, again.

"Like crap," Lachlan answered. Mitch gave him a funny look, then shrugged.

"You up for taking a walk?" Jerome asked. 

Lachlan stretched and nodded. "Of course. Besides, if that was the worst Rob could do, then he's shit at beating people up."

"I don't know man," Jerome replied. "You look pretty bad."

"Sure, I  _look_ bad but I don't  _feel_ bad." Lachlan grinned. "I'll be fine in a couple of days." Lachlan turned to leave, but of course Mitch had to decide to act like a parent.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mitch asked, pausing Lachlan from making his escape.

"I was leaving," Lachlan answered slowly, afraid to make a wrong move.

"Not like that!" Jerome protested.

"Yes like this. If Rob and Preston see me, Rob will feel good because he 'beat' me," Lachlan said, making quotations around 'beat', "And if Preston sees me, he'll feel that I've learned my lesson."

"Have you though?" Mitch asked, but only when Lachlan turned to leave.

"What was the lesson Mitch? I got beat up because I let a poor kid go free? I wasn't going to beat him up. You saw him. Did he look like a dangerous criminal to you? Did he look like someone who'd try to hurt anyone of us?" Lachlan protested. "So if the lesson was that I can't help a kid escape torture, then no, I suppose I haven't learned my lesson." Lachlan rolled his eyes. "Now, anymore questions or am I free to go?"

"Go ahead," replied Jerome. Mitch exchanged glances with Jerome while watching Lachlan walk away.

"He's going to get himself killed," Mitch commented.

"He's made to lead, not follow. And right now, he's being forced to follow. That's not going to end well for him or Preston," Jerome added.

<>

Lachlan had been walking around for a little while when he heard the noises. He knew a fight when he heard one. Lachlan broke into a sprint, dashing around the corner to find a bunch of guys beating someone up, who was lying on the ground. Upon closer inspection, Lachlan realized that the person on the ground was Vik!

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" he yelled, causing the four boys to lock their gazes onto him instead of Vik. They smiled, their eyes glancing over his bruised and beaten body, the way he walked, like he was still sore.

"I'd suggest you leave if you know what's good for you," a boy called out. He had raven-black hair, and seemed to be the leader.

"Like hell I will," Lachlan shot back. Vik wasn't moving. They must've knocked him out or.. Lachlan shook his head. He didn't want to think about the other option.

"Your mistake," the raven-haired boy replied, before running to attack Lachlan.

Lachlan scoffed and step aside. One by one, each of the boys tried to knock him down, to beat him up, and one by one, they failed. Lachlan rolled his eyes at how easy it was. These boys didn't train together. They didn't know what the other was going to do, they weren't coordinated. They just attacked, each with their own plan. And sometimes, their plan got in the way of someone else's plan, making it easy for Lachlan to pick them off. If they had worked together, it would've been a closer fight. But they still would've lost. Lachlan was one of the best. He was the best fighter the Pack had, although Preston and Rob refused to admit it, and at the end of the day, these Sidemen members would've still lost.

When they were all groaning and moaning on the ground, Lachlan walked over and scooped Vik up. He laughed silently to himself. "One person leaves Jerome's medical room, another one enters, even worse than the first." Because Vik was definitely in worse shape. But he was alive, his slow pulse accounted to that. And as long as he was alive, Lachlan would do everything he could to make sure Vik survived, stronger and better than before. Nothing was going to hurt this boy while he was around, ever again. Lachlan would make sure of that.


	6. Chapter 6

“Is he going to be okay?” Lachlan was pacing, again. Mitch sighed.

“Of course, Lachlan,” he answered, again.

“Then why hasn’t he woken up?” Lachlan demanded.

Mitch closed his eyes and sighed in exasperation.

“Lachlan,” Jerome interrupted, seeing Mitch was getting annoyed. “You’ve already asked all of these questions. Of course Vik’s okay, he just needs to rest. He’ll wake up when he’s ready.”

“Not everyone is immune to feeling pain,” Mitch muttered under his breath, still glaring at Lachlan.

Lachlan glared at Mitch. “But, he’s so... “ Lachlan struggled for the right word. “Still. I mean, he hasn’t moved or anything!”

“Probably because something’s broken up there,” Mitch muttered.

Lachlan cocked his head at Mitch. “I feel like we changed from talking about Vik, to talking about me.”

Mitch shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Why? Do you think I was talking about you?”

“Guys,” Jerome warned, stopping them before they got into a fight. “Listen, we’re all tense, this is a new situation for all of use, and we’re all stuck in this house. Let’s just calm down, okay?”

“And not ask the _same fucking questions_ ,” Mitch muttered under his breath, but loud enough for Lachlan’s ears.

Jerome didn’t know what Mitch had said, but he knew it had pissed Lachlan off. “Guys, come on. We’re all friends here.”

Lachlan snorted. “Yeah right.”

Mitch refrained from making a comment, and just rolled his eyes.

“I’ll be in the kitchen.” Jerome smiled, then stood up and left the two behind to argue it out. He’d tried to make peace, but sometimes, sometimes you just had to let them figure it out themselves.

Mitch watched Lachlan pace across the floor from his perch on a pile of boxes. “He’s going to be okay Lachlan,” Mitch reassured the terrified man.

“And if he isn’t? If he dies?” Lachlan looked terrified.

Mitch looked at Lachlan, understanding in his eyes. “You like him, don’t you? More than you should.”

Lachlan sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Yes. Mitch,” Lachlan looked up at Mitch. “I think… I think I’m falling in love with him.”

Mitch froze. He didn’t know what to do. If it had been a simple crush, Lachlan would’ve been able to get over it, but if Lachlan fell in love… “You know nothing can ever happen, right Lachlan?”

“Yeah,” Lachlan replied, but it sounded like a question, as if he hoped it was a joke, that he could get his happy ending.

Mitch sighed and jumped off the boxes. “Lachlan,” he said, grabbing the blonde’s shoulders and turning him so Lachlan was forced to look Mitch in the eye. “This can never, NEVER happen. You’re already on thin ice with Preston. You don’t need this complication in your life right now. If you follow your heart, and war breaks out between the Pack and the Sidemen, who are you going to Lachlan? Because he’ll choose the Sidemen, you know it, and I know it. You have to shut down this love Lachlan, it CAN’T happen. Do you understand?”

Lachlan nodded slowly. “Yeah, I understand,” he replied softly, sounding a bit heartbroken.

Mitch felt a small twinge of guilt, but he shrugged it off. He was Lachlan’s mate, and was only looking out for Lachlan. But he couldn’t help but feel terrible for what he was asking Lachlan to do. “I’m sorry Lachlan,” he murmured.

Lachlan shrugged. “It’s okay,” he replied softly. “You’re just looking out for me, and making the realizations that I can’t, realizations I would’ve refused to make.” Lachlan attempted a smile, in order to make Mitch feel better, but it was a sorry effort, and Mitch only felt worse.

<> 

“Where the hell am I?” Vik was confused. His head hurt a fuck ton, he didn’t know where he was, and he ached all over. “And why do I feel like I got hit by a truck?”

“Vik!” A voice exclaimed. “You’re awake. How do you feel?” A head peered over into Vik’s line of sight. It was the pretty blonde with the beautiful blue eyes. Lachlan, Vik remembered.

“Hey Lachlan.” Vik smiled. “Mind telling me where I am?”

“You’re in Jerome’s secret safe house,” he replied, helping Vik sit up.

“Which isn’t a secret anymore,” Jerome added, arriving from the kitchen with some crackers and chees. “Here, eat this,” he said, handing the plate to Vik.

“What do you mean it’s not a secret anymore?” Lachlan asked. “Did you tell the Pack?”

“Of course not Lachlan. But now four people know about, and one isn’t even a member of the Pack,” Jerome pointed out.

“The more people who learn about a secret,” Mitch added, “The less likely it is that it will stay a secret.”

“Pessimistic Mitch,” Lachlan grumbled. Mitch, in turn, gave Lachlan a hurt expression.

“How’d I get here?” Vik interrupted, bringing the conversation back.

There was a pause, as if no one wanted to answer. Finally Lachlan spoke up. “I brought you here. I found you,” he hesitated. “I found you being beaten up. I thought you were going to die, Vik.”

Vik nodded slowly as he digested the information. “I know one of them was Callum, and I’m pretty sure that I saw Ethan with him. But I didn’t get a good enough look at the other two to know who they are.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to tell from their injuries.” Vik looked up at Lachlan in surprise. Lachlan had spit that sentence out through his teeth, almost like he was pissed at the other guys. But, why would he be? Vik wasn’t important to Lachlan, right? I mean, he wasn’t even good enough for JJ, so why would Lachlan, _Lachlan_ , of all people, be interested in him?

“What happened to them?” Vik asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

“Well, I-“

“Beat the shit out of them,” Jerome interrupted, receiving a glare from Lachlan.

“You weren’t even there!” Lachlan complained. “How do you know what happened?”

Jerome shrugged. “I know you,” was his simple reply.

Lachlan scoffed.

“He did beat the shit out of them though,” Mitch added, seeing Vik wanted an answer. “I’m sure they’re just barely better than you, and only because Lachlan was more concerned with getting you help than teaching those guys a lesson.”

“But I’m sure he still taught them a lesson they won’t forget!” Jerome joked, nudging Lachlan with his shoulder.

“Fine. I see how this is. You guys tell MY story, which you weren’t even there for,” Lachlan complained, a small note of seriousness in his voice. Vik noticed it, but neither Mitch nor Jerome did.

“We know because of how many times you’ve told it to us!” Mitch teased.

Lachlan huffed angrily and stormed out of the room, sick of his friends teasing. Vik watched Lachlan leave, and heard the door slam behind him.

Mitch and Jerome exchanged glances. “I didn’t know he was that mad,” Mitch complained. “Did you?”

Jerome shook his head.

“I did,” Vik said.

“How?” both Mitch and Jerome exclaimed.

“He was getting annoyed with you guys. It was obvious by his voice, his posture, even the way he was replying to you guys. Especially to you Mitch. Did you piss him off recently?” Vik asked, watching for Mitch’s reaction.

And there it was. Guilt flashed across Mitch’s face, then disappeared. “Not that I can think of,” Mitch replied. Vik knew he was lying, but made no comment, more concerned with mulling it over and figuring out the mystery himself. So, Mitch HAD done something to Lachlan, and it was something he felt guilty about. Vik doubt it was anything physical, Lachlan seemed like he’d be able to take anything Mitch threw at him. So, it had to be emotional. But what could it be?

Vik sighed. He was too tired to puzzle over the dilemma too much right now.

Jerome noticed how tired Vik was. “You should go back to sleep Vik,” he urged.

“What about Lachlan?” Vik asked sleepily.

“He’d want you to sleep,” answered Mitch.

“Okay. But one thing first,” Vik pleaded.

“Kay,” Mitch replied.

“What’d you say to Lachlan, Mitch? The thing that pissed him off?” Vik asked.

Mitch hesitated, and Jerome raised a finger to his lips. They both watched as Vik fell asleep. He was too tired to even stay awake. Jerome smiled and shook his head in an endearing way, before grabbing Vik’s, now empty, plate, and leaving to clean up.

Mitch stayed there, watching Vik. After a long pause, he answered Vik’s question. “I told him he couldn’t fall in love with you.”


	7. Chapter 7

Vik groaned slightly and stretched his arms up. Another day, well, not day per say. Vik had no idea about the sleeping schedule he was on. It really sucked being confined to bed. Jerome had decided it would be best, since quite a few of Vik’s ribs were broken, and Vik hadn’t ever broken a rib before. It wasn’t like he’d ever gone out and fought, being JJ’s sex toy and all. The only good thing about being confined to bed was the fact that Vik couldn’t go to the Sidemen’s base, meaning he didn’t have to see JJ. Vik didn’t think he’d be able to handle that, especially right now. And not that his guard(s) would let him.

And speaking of guards, Vik craned his head around searching for who was suppose to be watching him. The three of them, Mitch, Jerome and Lachlan all took turns watching him and making sure that he didn’t try to leave. But Vik couldn’t see a single one. Was he free? Vik slowly began to raise himself so that he was sitting on the bed.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Vik jumped at the sound of Lachlan’s voice, then grimaced slightly as his ribs began to sting.

“Thanks,” Vik growled.

Lachlan laughed, and jumped down from his perch on top of the boxes, hidden by the height and the shadows surrounding the pile of boxes. “Besides, aren’t you confined to bed?”

Vik grunted. “I hate this bed. It’s not comfortable at all.”

“Sorry that it’s not the five stars you’re used to,” Lachlan replied, handing Vik the glass of water.

Vik stared at him in wonder. How the hell did he know that Vik wanted water?

“Thanks,” Vik said, gratefully accepting the glass and taking a sip. “But what about you?”

“I have mine,” Lachlan replied smoothly, pulling out a flask and taking a swig. “See?”

Vik internally groaned. If Lachlan was drinking this early, and Vik knew it was early (because of the sun shining through the window), then Lachlan was going to be completely wasted by the time Mitch and Jerome arrived. Then they’d send Lachlan away, because drunk Lachlan was Lachlan with no fear and extremely stupid. If Lachlan drank enough, he started talking, and when Lachlan started, he didn’t stop. He’d talk about his life before, when he was respected by Rob and Preston, he’d talk abouyt how he hated this, hell, once he talked about his life before the gang. That was the time Vik liked the best. Lachlan talked about his family with such fondness, Vik didn’t know why Lachlan would ever want to leave them. Vik himself, had parents, mainly his father, who hated him. Vik was glad he was away from them, anywhere was better than being with them.

“Vik?” Vik jerked his head up to see Lachlan staring at him.

“Lachlan?” he asked, copying Lachlan’s tone.

Lachlan rolled his eyes. “You spaced out Vik. Just wanted to make sure you were okay,” he stated, concern coloring his voice.

Vik felt slightly bad for mocking Lachlan. “Yeah, I’m fine. And sorry.”

“For what?” Lachlan looked genuinely puzzled.

“For mocking you.” Vik shrugged and looked down at his hands.

Lachlan burst into laughter, before crouching next to Vik. “I didn’t mind Vik. Promise.”

Vik smiled. “Sorry, I-“

“No apologies here Vik. Okay? You apologize way too much.” Lachlan met Vik’s stare, before Vik dropped his head.

“Okay. But why do I need to stop saying sor-“

“Don’t say it!” Lachlan exclaimed. “If you want to be seen as a fighter, you can’t go around saying sorry. You need to be seen as tough.”  
“Like anyone will see me as tough.” Vik snorted and shook his head.

“When I’m done with you, even JJ will be scared of you.” Vik raised head to meet Lachlan’s determined stare. He tried to be serious, he really did. But Vik couldn’t help it. He broke into laughter. And Lachlan’s hurt expression made him laugh even harder.

“Sorry Lachlan,” he chortled.

Lachlan sighed and ruffled Vik’s hair. “It’s fine Vik. But you will be intimidating. Just because you’re smaller doesn’t mean that you’re less dangerous. In fact, it’s better that you’re smaller. People will underestimate you.

There was a slight pause. “Does anyone underestimate you?” Vik asked.

Lachlan shook his head. “Not anymore.

“He’s still a pain in the ass though.” Vik and Lachlan both jumped. Lachlan whirled around to see Mitch in the doorway, Mitch’s eyes locking onto Lachlan’s, a knowing gleam in them, and a disapproving look on his face.

“See ya Vik,” Lachlan muttered before heading to the door.

“Lachlan wait!” Vik called out. Lachlan paused to look at Vik. “Will you teach me to fight?” Vik asked.

Lachlan looked at Vik’s hopeful face, and Mitch’s disapproving one. “No,” he answered curtly, before turning and leaving the room, hoping to ignore the crushed look on Vik’s face.

 _It’s for the best_ , he told himself. But somehow, he couldn’t convince himself.

<> 

Vik couldn’t sleep. Lachlan had blown off all of his shifts, and Vik was completely miserable. Jerome was in the other room, organizing his medical supplies. Mitch and Jerome had both tried to console Vik, tried and failed. Why had Lachlan helped him, encouraged him about learning to fight, only to refuse to teach Vik? Why would he do that?

“Vik?” Vik looked to see Jerome standing in the doorway. “I’m off to bed. Please don’t go anywhere. Mitch will kill me.” Vik looked Jerome over. He looked like he hadn’t got a good night’s sleep in weeks.

“I’ll stay here Jerome, don’t worry,” Vik promised. Jerome looked Vik over carefully before nodding and exiting the room.

Once he was gone, Vik sighed and looked up at the ceiling. Was this what the Sidemen were doing to the Pack? Sleepless nights, constant stressing, always on edge? Tempers always high, quick to jump at shadows, weapons within reach? If so, Vik wasn’t sure he wanted to be part of the Sidemen. AT least, not as some defenseless fuckboy.  He was going to train, and he would get to be a damn good fight. And if Lachlan wasn’t going to teach him, then he’d find someone else who would.

“Shit!” A voice whispered. Vik tensed up, his eyes straining in the darkness to see who it was. He stayed quite, not knowing whether the intruder was Sidemen, Pack, or someone else entirely. Jerome had no idea, Vik could hear his soft snores.

“Vik?” the voice whispered, and his face came into Vik’s field of view. Vik released a breath he hadn’t realized that he’d been holding.

“You scared me half to death Lachlan!” Vik scolded, albeit not very well due to the fact that Vik could only whisper, and the other small fact that Vik was relieved that it was Lachlan, not someone else, and that Lachlan was okay and unhurt.

“Sorry Vik,” Lachlan whispered, walking carefully over to the Indian boy on the bed. “You okay?” he asked as he sat down next to Vik.

Vik didn’t know what to do. Lachlan was sitting on his bed. ON HIS BED! Vik was having a mental freak-out. But then he remembered Lachlan’s stunt from earlier. “No,” he said. “I’m not okay.”

“Why not?” Lachlan asked, his concern showing in his blue eyes.

“Why the hell did you just up and leave?” Vik asked. “You got me all excited to fight, told me I could be as good as everyone else, and then when I asked for you to train me, you shut me down. What the hell Lachlan?” Vik demanded, his voice rising slightly.

Lachlan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Can we just try this again?”

“Try what? Me asking you to train me?” Vik asked.

“Yes.”

“Fine. Will you train me Lachlan?” Vik crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the older boy.

“Yes.” Lachlan’s reply was simply and short to the pint.

“Why didn’t you say this earlier?” Vik demanded.

“Mitch.” Was Lachlan’s short and simple anwer.

“Okay.” Vik bit his lip in frustration. “How about you give me some actual answers Lachlan, and quit with the one word sentences?”

“Fine,” Lachlan replied, then upon seeing Vik’s expression, he raised his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t finished speaking!”

“Then continue.” Vik smiled and leaned against his bedframe.

“Mitch was in that room when you asked me, and well, Mitch thinks I should stay away from you.”

“So he doesn’t trust me,” Vik concluded.

“Wrong,” Lachlan answered. “Mitch doesn’t trust _me_.”

“What? But-“

Lachlan held up his hand. “He doesn’t want me to have anything to do with you. Mitch, well, Mitch can keep his friends and enemies separate.” Vik opened his mouth to protest but Lachlan held up his finger for silence. “Granted, he acknowledged that there are allies in there too. And that’s all you are to him. When you go back to the Sidemen, he’s not going to care about you anymore. And I’m saying he’s heartless, he’s not, but Mitch isn’t thinking of you as a friend right now, just as a potential tool, weapon I suppose. Jerome looks at you like a patient, but he sees you as a potential friend.”

Vik snorted in disgust. “I actually like Mitch.”

“He doesn’t like or dislike you Vik. He’s just good at distancing himself. And he doesn’t want me to get hurt.

“How would you get hurt?” Vik asked, a little crease appearing in his forehead.

“You.”

“Lachlan!” Vik whisper-shouted. “Enough with the one word answers!”

“Fine. He’s worried about me getting to close to you. He’s worried that if the final showdown comes, I’m going to be torn between you and the Pack, that you’ll choose the Sidemen. So really. It’s just him worrying about me,” Lachlan admitted, only realizing after he’d finished his speech that he’d said more than he had been planning to say.

“But why would it matter to you who I chose Lachlan?” Vik asked, playing dumb. Inside him, his heart was going a thousand miles a minute.

Vik watched Lachlan’s silhouetted look up at the roof and sigh. He watched Lachlan run his hand through his hair, and the put his face in his hands before meeting Vik’s gaze.

“Because I like you Vik.” Vik sat there, shocked. It was one thing to think about this kind of stuff, but quite another to have it smack to you in the face.

Lachlan took one look at Vik’s face, and a sad look of acceptance came upon his face. He knew that it had been too much to ask that Vik like him to. Lachlan just didn’t get that lucky. Besides, Vik had Olajide, why would he want Lachlan, third compared to first?

Vik watched Lachlan get up to leave, and realized he’d missed his opportunity. “Lachlan! Please don’t leave,” Vik begged. Lachlan turned around in puzzlement. “I get that I’m kinda saying this late, but, I, I like you too Lachlan,” Vik admitted, a small blush creeping onto his features.

“Really?” Lachlan asked, hope blossoming on his face. Vik nodded, and Lachlan smiled, sitting next to Vik, lifting Vik’s head to his, resting his forehead upon Vik’s.

“Really?” he asked again.

“I already said yes, Lachlan,” Vik pointed out, gazing into those beautiful blue eyes that belonged to Lachlan.

Lachlan smiled. “Good. Because that means I can do this.” And when Lachlan bent his head to kiss Vik, Vik couldn’t help himself and he went up to meet Lachlan’s lips with his own. And the kiss was everything Vik could’ve wanted. It was beautiful, pure, innocent, not like the sloppy kisses from the other guys Vik let fuck him, not rough and demanding like JJ’s. It was in a class of its own, and Vik loved every inch of it. Lachlan wrapped his arms around Vik’s body, being careful not to hurt Vik, as Vik twined his fingers in Lachlan’s hair, letting Lachlan push them both onto the bed.

When they finally broke apart, each gasping for breath, Lachlan on top of Vik, resting his forehead on Vik’s, all Vik had to do was ask one question.

“Stay the night?”

So Mitch could fuck off, and everyone else who thought this was wrong, that two enemies shouldn’t fall for each other. They could all go to hell. Because Lachlan was falling for this boy, and if he reciprocated, nothing would keep Lachlan away, nothing. So if Vik wanted to spend the night together, then Lachlan was done for it, not giving a damn to who’s yelling he might wake up to.

“Always,” Lachlan murmured back, leaning back down to kiss Vik again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to get this out! My stupid computer deleted the first draft, so I had to rewrite it. But it's here now and I hope you all enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

“Morning guys.”

Lachlan groaned and rubbed his face with his hand. “What the hell do you want Jerome?” he asked, his voice groggy with sleep.

“Just wondering why you’re sleeping in Vik’s bed.”

“Huh?” Lachlan asked, attempting to sit up, only to find Vik cuddled on his chest, still deep in the throes of sleep.

“Thought I’d wake you up before Mitch arrived,” Jerome added.

“Forgot I spent the night here,” Lachlan muttered, half to himself, half to Jerome.

“Mitch is going to be here in five minutes Lachlan,” Jerome warned.

“Shit! Right, um okay,” Lachlan thought quickly. “I was never here Jerome, okay?”

“Who was never here?” Jerome asked, a frown creasing his forehead.

“Thanks Jerome.” Lachlan sat up, only to find Vik clutching him tighter. “A little help please?” he grumbled.

Jerome laughed, and gently removed Vik’s hands from Lachlan’s shirt. Vik mumbled words under his breath as Jerome lifted Vik up enough so that Lachlan could wiggle out from underneath the smaller boy.

“Thanks,” Lachlan said once he was finally free.

“Just get the hell out of here Lachlan.” Lachlan nodded and turned to leave. “And Lachlan,” Jerome called. “Whatever you do, don’t get caught. By anyone.”

Lachlan met Jerome’s gaze and nodded once, before disappearing through the back door.

<> 

“What’s going on between you and Lachlan?”

Vik stayed still, listening to the conversation between Mitch and Jerome. Lachlan was gone, he had disappeared. _Did he leave me? Did he regret his decision?_ Vik wondered.

“Nothing.” That was definitely Mitch. The defensive tone fit him perfectly.

“Really?” And there was Jerome with his perfect touch of sarcasm.

“Yes really,” Mitch grumped. Vik snorted, but softly as to not attract their attention.

“Why are you lying to me Mitch? What the hell did you say to Lachlan?” Jerome tried again.

“Nothing!” And Mitch continued with his charade of lies. Vik rolled his eyes. Mitch couldn’t lie if his life was on the line.

“Mitch. I know something happened. So either you can tell me, or Lachlan will. And I know it had something to do with Vik, so don’t even try to lie to me about that,” Jerome warned, sparing a glance towards Vik’s sleeping figure.

“Why does it matter?” Mitch asked.

 _Finally!_ Vik thought to himself. Maybe now he’ll find out why Lachlan was acting so weird.

“Because it’s bothering Lachlan,” was Jerome’s simple answer.

Mitch groaned. “I told him he couldn’t fall in love with Vik. Happy now?”

Jerome sighed and raised his eyes skywards. “Why the hell would you tell him that?” he muttered.

“Because Vik’s-“ Mitch started shouting, but at Jerome’s glare, he quieted down, realizing Vik was sleeping. “Because Vik’s healed, he’s going to head back to the Sidemen any day now and Lachlan will be left behind, brokenhearted. Because we both know that as soon as Olajide offers, Vik is going to jump at the chance to be his fuckboy.”

“And how do you know this?” Jerome argued.

“Look at him! The kid got the shit beaten out of him, and he didn’t even raise a fucking finger! He’s not going to survive as a gang member, the only way he’ll survive is by being JJ’s boy toy again!” Mitch exclaimed. “And screw me if I don’t want to have to comfort Lachlan if he gets himself in too deep.”

There was a pause. Neither Jerome nor Mitch were saying anything, so Vik decided he’d take care of the awkwardness in the room.

“Morning,” Vik called, stretching.

“Morning,” Jerome replied. “How you feeling? Sore?”

“Nope. I’m feeling a hell of a lot better,” Vik admitted.

“Do you want to try walking?” Vik was surprised. Mitch was talking to him?

“Sure. That is, if you think that it’s okay Jerome. I don’t want to reinjure anything,” Vik added.

Jerome smiled and walked over to the bed. “I think it’ll be fine. C’mon.”

Vik looked at Jerome’s offered hand and grabbed it, using it to pull himself to his feet.

“Careful,” Mitch commented from the background. “You’re still unsteady. Lack of muscle use.”

Vik nodded, and began to take some steps around the room while holding onto Jerome. But once Vik got his balance, Jerome let go and Vik was walking around on his own.

“I guess I’m all healed then?” Vik asked, looking up at Jerome.

“Yep. Be careful, ribs are still broken, but as long as you're careful, you’re free to go.” Jerome smiled.

“C’mon kid. We’ve got places to go, people to see.” Vik looked at Mitch in surprise.

“What?” he asked, confusion in his eyes.

“I’m taking you back home.”

“But, what about saying goodbye to Lachlan?” Vik asked.

“I’ll tell him you said goodbye.” Vik knew he was lying, but there wasn’t anything Vik could do about it.

“Okay,” he reluctantly agreed.

“Good. Now let’s go,” Mitch said before walking out the front door. Vik exchanged one last glance with Jerome before turning and following Mitch. He was heading back. Back to JJ and the rest. Back home.

 _Not really though_ , Vik thought to himself. This place here, Jerome’s place, had felt more like a home than the Sidemen warehouse had ever been.

<> 

“Promise me you won’t come back.”

“What?” Vik looked at Mitch in surprise.

“Promise me,” Mitch asked again, more forcefully.

“Why does it matter?” Vik asked, standing on the “No-Man’s Land”.

“Because I won’t have everyone turning against Lachlan because you decided to come back and visit, and instead of visiting, you get caught. Then Lachlan will end up trying to help you out, but he’ll only dig himself a deeper hole.” Mitch paused. “Vik,” he began, more slowly this time. “If you care about Lachlan even the tiniest bit, you won’t come back here. You won’t ever try to see him again.”

Vik stared at Mitch. “I can’t do that Mitch. I’m sorry,” Vik murmured before turning and heading towards Sidemen territory.

“VIK!” Mitch yelled after him. Vik turned around to lock gazes with Mitch, him on Sidemen land, Mitch on Pack land. “WHEN HE’S DEAD, JUST KNOW IT’S YOUR FAULT!”

Vik stiffened slightly before turning back and heading deeper into Sidemen territory, heading towards the warehouse. Mitch could go to hell as far as Vik cared. But his words were stuck in Vik’s head, and he couldn’t escape the guilty feeling inside of him, now that he knew what he was doing could get Lachlan killed.

<> 

“Where the hell have you been, Lachlan?” Preston demanded. Rob stood behind Preston, arms over his chest, smirking slightly.

“Out.”

“And where’s out?” Preston asked.

“Very good question. Maybe if you and Rob shoved your tongues down each other’s throats less, you’d actually notice where I went.”

Rob growled and started forward but Preston held up his hand.

“Enough Lachlan. As your leader, I’m demanding to know where you went,” Lachlan ordered.

“And as your third, I’m telling you to take your head out of your ass,” Lachlan replied. “Oh wait, it’s in Rob’s ass right?”

“I’m going to rip you limb from limb,” Rob snarled.

“Why? Because no one talks to your precious Preston like that?” Lachlan snapped back.

Rob’s only reply was a growl and a glare.

“Lachlan. I’m the leader. Not you.” Lachlan turned his gaze towards Preston.

“You may be the leader in name Preston, but let’s be honest. Who’d actually follow you?” Lachlan asked, a smirk on his face.

“The Pack,” Preston replied.

“Really?” Lachlan sighed. “Preston, I hate to tell you this, but you really need to stop mooning over Rob. Because you clearly haven’t noticed how you favoring Rob is turning the rest of the Pack against you. And since they hate Rob because he’s the favored one, they turn to me.”

“He’s still their leader,” Rob muttered.

“In NAME,” Lachlan snapped. “If it came down between me or Preston, I can confidently say that Preston would have a hell of a lot less followers than I. So if he really wants to lead, he better get off that platform in the sky and start interacting with his soldiers on the ground.”

Rob scoffed, but Preston just stared at Lachlan, but it wasn’t a confused stare, it was a defiant stare.

“And I’m supposed to believe you Lachlan? Because from what you’re saying, you’re my opponent,” Preston asked.

Lachlan stiffened, knowing Preston was waiting to attack. “I have no intention of going against you Preston. I’m just trying to be a good third.”

“Third. Remember your place Lachlan,” Preston warned.

Lachlan inclined his head. “Yes sir,” he agreed through clenched teeth.

“Good.” Preston turned his back on Lachlan, signaling that he was dismissed. Lachlan turned, and debated slamming the door behind him, but figured that would be seen as childish, and he was anything but.

“Enjoy hell Preston. Because you deserve everything that’s coming your way,” Lachlan muttered under his breath.


	9. Chapter 9

“Hello beautiful,” Vik whirled around to find Lachlan leaning against one of the many buildings.

“You came!” Vik exclaimed.

“Of course,” Lachlan replied, as if it was only natural that he’d come. “How are you settling in with the Sidemen again?”

“Okay,” Vik admitted.

“I can see that,” Lachlan commented, raising an eyebrow at Vik’s bruised face.

Vik ducked his head. “It’s not that bad. Honestly,” he protested. “They just-”

“-Think that they can get away with anything they want because JJ doesn’t give a damn about you anymore?” Lachlan finished.

“Yeah.”

Lachlan sighed. “Well, then I think it’s about time that I teach yuou how to fight.”

Vik smiled. “Really?

“Of course. I promised after all.” Lachlan smiled down at the shorter bpy. “Now, do you know how to throw a punch?”

Vik looked at Lachlan.

“What?” Lachlan asked.

“I’m not stupid Lachlan. I know how to punch. I’m in a gang. I’ve picked up a few tricks,” Vik grumbled. “And besides, I want to deprive you of that clichéd moment when the guy teaches the girl how to throw a punch.”

Lachlan mock pouted, then cocked his head. “So you’re saying that you’re a girl?” he asked.

Vik blushed and shook his head. “No! I’m just,” Vik paused, not knowing what to say. “Damn it Lachlan.”

“I can get you a bra if you want,” Lachlan offered, sincerity being the only thing Vik heard in his voice.

“I fucking hate you,” Vik grumbled.

“Hell, I’m sure I can find some lace panties if you want,” Lachlan added, a slight smirk appearing on his face.

“For fuck’s sake Lachlan,” Vik groaned.

“I even know someone who could get you some very sexy lingerie,” Lachlan was cracking up at this point. He couldn’t hold it back anymore.

Vik was silent. He was waiting with his arms crossed. Once Lachlan stopped laughing he asked, “Are you done?”

“Yep.” Lachlan smirked. “But you’d probably actually fit into girl clothes.”

Vik growled and launched himself at Lachlan, only to find himself pressed up against the alley wall.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” Lachlan teased, his breath hot on Vik’s ear.

Vik felt his stomach tighten. If only Lachlan knew the effect he had on Vik… Vik shook his head. He didn’t need these thoughts right now.

“Let go of me Lachlan,” Vik asked, his voice sounding a bit husky to Vik’s embarrassment.

“Why?” Lachlan asked, pressing even closer to Vik, feeling the smaller boy squirm beneath him.

“Please Lachlan?” Vik asked.

Lachlan rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine,” he relented, releasing Vik.

Vik muttered under his breath, and Lachlan was almost positive that Vik was cursing Lachlan.

“Are you ready to train or not?” Lachlan demanded, staring at Vik.

Vik grumbled. “Teach me then.”

Lachlan smiled. “Whenever you’re ready.”

So Vik launched himself at Lachlan for the second time that night.

<> 

“Where have you been going Vik?”

“What do you mean Simon?” Vik asked. He had been meeting with Lachlan for the past week. Vik never knew how much he’d picked up on living in the gang. Vik knew he could’ve been a somewhat decent fighter if he had tried instead of being JJ’s fuckboy, but he’d never had the incentive. Now he did, and Vik didn’t ever want to go back to the life he’d had before.

“I mean you’re always sneaking out when you think everyone’s sleeping. How many hours of sleep do you get Vik? Four?” Simon demanded.

Vik shrugged. In reality, it was one to two hours a night, but he was learning, and fast. Vik would’ve preferred to always be training, but Lachlan was an important person in the Pack, and he couldn’t always be training Vik.

“It’s not healthy Vik,” Simon said, moving so that he blocked Vik’s path.

“Stop trying to be my mother Simon. She’s dead, and I sure as hell don’t need another one,” Vik snapped, shoving Simon to the side as he stormed past.

“What happened to him?” Josh asked, appearing from the shadows.

“Good question,” Simon replied, puzzling over Vik as Josh wrapped his arms around Simon.

<> 

“You’re training with him, aren’t you?” Mitch demanded.

“Why does my life mean so much to you, Mitch?” Lachlan grumbled.

“Because you’re going to get yourself killed! You’re hardly ever around anymore, and when you are, you’re distracted. And I’m not the only one who’s noticed!” Mitch exclaimed.

“Leave it Mitch,” Lachlan sighed.

“No, I won’t. Lachlan, you’re training the enemy. The enemy. And-”

Lachlan whirled around to glare at Mitch. “Vik is NOT the enemy. He’s our FRIEND. Or at least, he’s mine and Jerome’s.”

Mitch stiffened. “He’s mine too. But I’d rather have you survive than him. So let his own friends teach him how to fight.”

Lachlan scoffed. “WE’RE his friends.”

“He has the Sidemen!” Mitch protested.

Lachlan laughed. But it wasn’t a warm laugh, it was a mocking laugh. “Yeah. Because he looked perfectly fine when we met him the first time. Not a single bruise on him,” he snarled sarcastically.

“Lachlan, listen-”

“No Mitch, YOU listen. I’m going to train Vik, and there’s not a single fucking thing that you can do about it,” Lachlan snapped.

Mitch was silent for a long time, watching his friend’s retreating back. “You’re wrong Lachlan,” he whispered. “There is something I can do. I just don’t know if I want to betray you like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long! School was busy with exams. But hey, the chapter's here now, and I'm almost done with Chapter 10.


	10. Chapter 10

Vik was staring at the sky. He liked nights like this, when there was a gentle breeze, when the sky was clear and the stars shined.

"What'cha thinking about?" Lachlan asked. 

Vik shrugged and snuggled up closer to Lachlan. "Just how perfect this feels," he replied.

Lachlan chuckled. "I know exactly how you feel."

Vik smiled, and they both were content in the silence.

"Thank you Lachlan."

"For what?" Lachlan asked.

"For helping me see a future, for giving me happiness," Vik answered, looking up at Lachlan.

Lachlan leaned in and kissed Vik. "Of course. I love you."

Vik froze. Lachlan loved  _him_? 

"What?" he asked, surprise coloring his voice.

"What?" Lachlan asked, confised.

"You love me?" Vik asked.

Lachlan threw back his head and laughed. "Yeah I do."

Vik was shocked. When he had been with JJ, JJ had never said anything like that to him. And his parents had never given a damn. 

"Lachlan?" Vik murmured.

"Yes?" Lachlan asked, a small smile appearing on his face.

"I love you too."

<>

"We have a problem Vik." Vik turned to see Lachlan.

"Look who finally turned up," he teased.

Lachlan smiled sadly. "Vik, the Pack's destruction is in four days. My death is in four days."

Vik stiffened. "What do you mean?" he asked. 

Lachlan sighed. "Don't play dumb with me Vik. Let me ask this, you were going to ask me to bring Mitch and Jerome to our training session in four days weren't you?"

Vik didn't know how to reply. But the guilty look on his face told Lachlan everything he needed.

Lachlan scoffed and sat on the ground, leaning his head against the wall of the building, the sun shining into his face.

"Lachlan," Vik said, sitting down next to Lachlan. "What was I suppose to say?"

"How about a heads up?" Lachlan replied keeping his face away from Vik.

"Yeah sure. Hey Lachlan, you're going to die in four days. Because I could look you in the face and tell you THAT," Vik snapped. "And for fuck's sake Lachlan, just look at me!"

"Why?" Lachlan replied, his voice bored and uninterested.

"Because I love you-"

Lachlan whipped his head around to look at Vik "-and I love my Pack. You think I wanted to find out that the man I love has been lying to me about their imminent destruction?"

Vik bit his lip. "It wasn't like that Lachlan."

"Yes it was. And don't give me that bullshit about it never coming up. You knew. You KNEW and you didn't give me a fucking clue!" Lachlan yelled, standing up and walking a short distance away.

Vik watched him. "I'm sorry Lachlan. But I love the Sidemen, and if I told you the plans, you'd tell the Pack. And then the SIDEMEN would be destroyed. Me included. This way I figured you and I and Mitch and Jerome would all survive."

"Survive." Lachlan scoffed. "I won't live my life as a coward Vik," he added, turning to look at the shorter man.

"Why couldn't you do it for me?" Vik begged.

"Because everytime I'd look at myself I'd see the person I could've been, brave, LOYAL, someone who mattered."

"You do matter Lachlan, to me," Vik said grabbing Lachlan's hand. "And I need you. I couldn't live without you."

"And I can't live without my Pack Vik."

Vik sighed, a tear leaking out. "And if I don't tell you?"

"Then I'm sorry Vik, but it won't matter how much I love you. I'll spend my last days with my family, preparing with them. And when YOUR family comes, ready to destroy mine, I'll fight until I'm dead," Lachlan said, not flinching when he heard Vik's sobs. 

"What if I told you enough of the plans that you would survive, but not enough that you would know the flaws?" Vik asked.

"How about this," Lachlan countered. "You tell me EVERYTHING, and I'll tell the Pack what they need to know."

Vik looked at up at Lachlan. "Okay," he agreed.

Lachlan smiled and wrapped his arms around Vik, kissing the top of Vik's head. "Thank you. You can trust me."

"I know Lachlan. That's kinda the point of loving someone. You trust them with everything, including your heart," Vik replied.

Lachlan laughed and kissed Vik before leading him over to some boxes. "Tell me everything Vik," Lachlan urged.

Vik smiled and began to talk.

<>

"Wow," Lachlan commented after Vik was done talking. "That's, wow."

"Yeah," Vik replied, scratching the back of his head.

"You guys have some friggin AMAZING spies," Lachlan smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

And it worked, as Vik burst into laughter. "Yeah, well, that's one of our strong points. And this has been JJ's mission ever since he became the boss. Granted, it really took off when Simon joined."

"Simon?" Lachlan asked. "Why?"

"He hates Preston. And he's in charge of the spies, so when Preston became leader and he and Simon became arch-enemies, Simon had all of the spies figuring out Preston, trying to gather enough information in order to bring down the Pack."

"So this whole thing is Preston's fault?" lachlan asked.

Vik chuckled. "Not exactly. But if Preston hadn't become leader, and hadn't become a nemesis of Simon, it probably would've been a lot slower in coming."

"But then again, I probably would have met you, Vik," Lachlan murmured kissing Vik on the forehead. 

"Probably not," Vik replied, smiling and leaning up to kiss Lachlan. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Same time, right here," Lachlan promised before jumping off the boxes and heading towards Pack land.

Vik smiled and stayed there a little longer, staring at the stars, happy that everything was coming together. Maybe he could have lachlan and the Sidemen, maybe everything would work out for once.

<>

Vik was whistling as he headed to his and Lachlan's spot. It was time for their training session, and Vik would've been lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to it. But it wasn't Lachlan who was waiting for Vik.

"Mitch? What are you doing here?" Vik asked.

Mitch sighed. "Expecting Lachlan?"

"Yeah," Vik answered, albeit sounding a little unsure.

"He's not coming Vik."

"What the hell do you mean he's not coming? Did something happen?" Vik exclaimed.

"No. He's not coming. Ever."

"Why?" Vik asked.

"Because he doesn't give a damn about you Vik, that's why!" Mitch exclaimed.

"Of course he does," Vik protested. "He loves me."

But Mitch was already shaking his head. "No Vik. What he loves is being top dog, being smarter than everyone else. And that information you gave him, the Sidemen's plans to destroy the Pack, was the thing he needed. Now he's back in Preston's good graces, hell, he's SECOND."

Vik stared a Mitch, not wanting to believe him, his face a mix of betrayal, confusion, hopelessness and hurt. 

"But why?" Vik asked, not understanding how Lachlan would intentionally hurt him.

Mitch sighed, and Vik detected the pitying tone in his voice. "I'm sorry Vik. He never loved you, never needed you. He only saw you as a means to an end."

"But..." Vik didn't know what to say as tears cascaded down his face. "I love him!"

"I'm sorry. His exact words were, and I quote "I was only using him to get what we needed. He's JJ's boy toy. Of course he had the information. All it took was a couple sweet gestures, fighting lessons, and acting like I gave a damn about him for him to spill everything."

"He never loved me?" Vik gasped out, collapsing to the ground.

"No. I'm really sorry Vik. I... I should've stopped it sooner. I tried, I really did."

Vik nodded slowly, resting his head on his knees, realizing all of Mitch's actions made a hell of a lot more sense.

"I'm sorry Vik," Mitch murmured one last time before turning and leaving, leaving Vik to his broken heart, unanswered questions, and his never ending torrent of misery.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this on my phone for forever! Kinda forgot that I hadn't posted it to be honest!


	11. Chapter 11

Vik was still staring into the mist where Mitch had disappeared. Lachlan, betray him? Vik hadn't wanted to believe, but yet, in a twisted way it made sense. Mitch gained nothing by lying to Vik, so why would he lie? But Lachlan had everything to gain by telling the Pack the truth. Now, all was left was to tell the Sidemen that the Pack knew, that the Pack knew their plans. 

 _And of course they're going to want to know how the Pack found out,_ Vik thought to himself bitterly. It was his own damn fault. He thought he knew what he was doing, thought that he had finally understood how this life works, only for life to throw another punch to his face. Vik scoffed and kicked the ground, before turning and heading back to the Sidemen headquarters. 

As Vik walked back, the sky opened and the torrential downpour of rain began. Vik groaned, but didn't runt towards shelter, instead, he continued at his leisurely pace towards the headquarters. It felt to him that the heavens had decided to match his mood.

 

"What do you mean, they know?" JJ demanded, slamming his hands on the table.

Vik stiffened and raised his eyes to meet JJ's. There had been a time when he would've flinch and ducked away. Now he stared right back at JJ. "I mean they know. The Pack knows everything."

"EVERYTHING?" Simon yelled. "EVERY DAMN THING THAT WE'VE WORKED SO HARD ON!?!?"

Vik flinched, thn cursed himself. he was suppose to be standing here, being all strong. _I won't go back to that scared slut._ Vik told himself.  _I won't_.

But Vik knew Simon was pissed, for he had worked so hard to destroy the Pack, destroy Preston, and here was Vik, throwing all of his hard work back in his face.

"How?" Simon demanded.

Vik raised his head and crossed his arms. "No idea," he lied. "But we'll make new plans, and then we'll slaughter them. Every single one," Vik growld, his desire for revenge showing through.

JJ looked at Vik, really looked at him. Vik had never been one for violence, but here he was, ready to slaughter the Pack. JJ cocked his head curiously. What had happened to his little Vikky? JJ felt a twinge of sadness, realizing that the old Vik was gone. The Vik that was his, the Vik who came to him, was gone. And JJ knew that he was never coming back. Vik wasn't a scared little boy in a world he didn't understand any longer, no, he was grown-up and ready to take part in it. And JJ knew that he was the reason Vik had changed, he had forced Vik to change. Otherwise Vik would've never survived.

"We'll be fine, we'll come back," JJ assured Simon.

"It took us this long just to figure out a weakness! And you think we're going to find a new one that easily?" Simon growled. "They're going to lock up tight! We'll never get another chance. I vote we go now, go ahead of schedule and kill them."

JJ sighed. "no, there's no point. They're prepared."

But Vik cocked, his head, thinking it over. "I think it could work," he mulled. "If Lachlan told them all of these details, then we could attack now. They wouldn't be expecting it. And sooner is better than later."

JJ looked at Vik like he'd grown a second head. "Are you kidding? We'll lose so many!"

"But they'll lose some too," Josh spoke up, from his quiet spot in the corner.

JJ paused, seeming to consider it.

But Simon had noticed something, and he sure as hell was going to point it out. "So... Vik, who's Lachlan?" he asked.

Vik stiffened. "Who?" he asked, feigning confusion, trying to think of a story.

"Lachlan, you know, the guy you said who would tell the Pack our plans," Simon clarified.

Vik's eyes flicked side to side. "He was..." Vik froze, not knowing what to say. "He was a spy."

"A spy?" Simon asked. "And he got away? How did he get in here? And why didn't you stop him? I mean, if you know his name you must've talked right?" Simon smiled, like a shark circling its prey.

Josh snorted. "And you could've only met him AFTER JJ made you an official Sidemen member, so, how was it that you and Lachlan had quality time?"

JJ sighed, the pieces in the puzzle clicking together. Vik had betrayed them. He doubted that it was intentional, more like Vik had found a friend in this Lachlan guy, and told him everything. Vik never could keep secrets.

"How about you tell the truth Vik?" JJ asked, seeing that Vik was going to try lying again. "And don't lie, you may be getting better at it, but you're still shit."

Vik let his face drop into his hands. "Yes, I did know him," Vik groaned. "He helped me out of a tricky situation with the Pack, and he helped me when I was in a bad place."

JJ felt that stone in his stomach again, knowing he was the one who had put Vik in that bad place. 

"Great. Glad to know tat because you couldn't hold it in your pants Vik, we all suffer," Simon snapped. 

"Simon!" Josh glared at him. "Give the kid a break."

"I'm not a kid, Josh," Vik growled, rising to his feet. "So don't treat me like one. I'm a member of the Sidemen, don't treat me any less than that."

JJ groaned. "Simon, get everyone together. We need to have a meeting."

Simon nodded, then turned and headed out the door, Josh following suit.

 

JJ waited until they were gone before turning to Vik. "I'm sorry Vik."

"Sorry?" Vik asked, confused. "Why are you sorry?"

"For what's going to happen to you. As you are an official member of the Sidemen, it means there are no special privileges, so whatever the council choices is what happens."

Vik stiffened, and felt the butterflies in his stomach take off. "The council?" he gasped out.

JJ nodded sadly. "Yep. That's why I'm having Simon gather all the members. We need to decide what to do, and I'm sure many of them will want to hurt you."

"Not kill me?" Vik asked in surprise.

"No. They'll want to make you suffer, have you feel the physical pain that is equal to the emotional pain they feel, how your betrayal hurt them." JJ gave Vik a sad smile before turning and heading out. "I'd wait here if I were you," he called over his shoulder.

Vik stood alone, hearing the doors slam shut, flinching when he heard the lock click into place. He was going to die, Vik knew that much. He had betrayed his family, and they were going to make him suffer, suffer until he could stand no more, then torture him some more until he knelled over dead.

<>

"Vik." A pause. "VIK!" was hissed much louder.

Vik looked up in surprise to see Jerome waving to him from inside a vent. "Jerome?" Vik called out, walking over to stand beneath his friend. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm here to free you," came the reply. "Climb up."

Vik looked around, seeing some boxes he could climb on. If he was careful, he could swing on the pipe and hopeful land where Jerome was hiding.

"Vik?" Jerome called.

"I'm coming!" Vik replied, then muttered under his breath, "you impatient bastard." He seized up the boxes, then slowly and carefully, began to climb them. Vik's eyes locked with the pipe and he took a deep breath, before lunging forward aiming for the pipe. Luckily, his hands caught it, and Vik bagan to swing his weight back and forth, trying to build up enough momentum to get to the box. When Vik felt he had enough force, he let go at full swing.

Jerome only had time to see Vik fall, not onto the vent, but past it, before his hands snaked out and grabbed onto Vik, stopping him from falling to the floor. Jerome pulled on Vik, as Vik's legs scrambled for traction against the wall in order to propel himself over it.

"Thanks," Vik gasped once he was safely inside the vent.

"Yeah. Good thing you're tiny," Jerome replied before turning and crawling away, Vik following in pursuit.

"So, Jerome, why'd you break me out? I mean, I figured you'd be on the Pack's side," Vik commented as they crawled their way through the vents.

"Shhh!" Jerome warned. "If you talk to loud, they'll hear you." There was silence for a moment before Jerome answered. "I'm not loyal to the Pack Vik, I'm loyal to Lachlan."

VIk scoffed. "And yet, here you are, helping me, Lachlan's enemy."

Jerome didn't answer, he just continued crawling. Vik was silent too, until they left the vents, and the warehouse, far behind. 

"Just one question," Vik began. "Why did Lachlan betray me?"

Jerome turned to face Vik. "He didn't Vik. Lachlan loves you. He'd never betray you like that."

Vik stared at Jerome disbelief on his face. "Yeah right," he scoffed.

"It's true. Lachlan never lied to you, that was Mitch's doing."

"Mitch?" Vik asked.

"Yep. I'm guessing he told you something along the lines of Lachlan telling Preston everything?" Vik nodded slowly. "Yep, well, that wasn't true. All he did was mention it to the rest, said he'd been doing some spying recently, and well, it got back to Preston and Rob, who took him in, meaning to talk to him. I mean, it was pretty clear to everyone that he knew more than he was saying, and Preston and Rob knew that. So they gave him a choice; tell them everything or they'd torture it out of him.

Vik felt sick to his stomach. "Please tell me he chose to tell them everything."

But Jerome was already shaking his head. "Nope. He took the torture. And then Mitch and I got pulled in, and Mitch must've told them something and spared me, because I never got touched. But Mitch headed off, and Preston and Rob were smirking, so it wasn't hard to figure out what had happened. So I took off to find you."

"So Lachlan, never betrayed me?" Vik asked, a small but of hope coloring his voice.

"No. Never," Jerome replied. "Lachlan loves you Vik. He loves you."

Vik smiled and turned to face Pack territory, that lost feeling, like he didn't belong, slowly fading away. He had a purpose now, a mission. "Well then Jerome, guess we better go save my love," Vik said, vowing that he would free Lachlan, or die trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I really have no excuse as to why this took so long. Sorry about that guys.


	12. Chapter 12

Lachlan groaned and opened his eyes to darkness. How did he always seem to end up being chained up?

"Hello Lachlan."

"Go to hell Rob," Lachlan growled back.

Rob laughed. "It's just you and me buddy. Preston's gone to rally the Pack, to tell them of your betrayal." Rob took a step closer, and Lachlan could see the smirk on Rob's face. "It's a real pity that you're so stubborn," he added, walking around Lachlan, twirling a dagger on his fingers.

"Really?" Lachlan replied sardonically, raising an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that you loved my stubbornness. Gave you plenty of opportunities to **try** and show how much better Rob is then poor little Lachy," Lachlan mocked.

Rob turned to look at Lachlan, murder in his eyes.

"Right? Your feelings are so sensitive that you can't handle the fact that someone might actually be better than you. Poor, unconfident Rob," Lachlan added, relishing in his torment of Rob. But there was only so much Rob could take, and Lachlan knew that. So it was no surprise to Lachlan when Rob lunged and held his dagger up to Lachlan's throat.

"I should kill you right here and now," he snarled.

"But then you'd miss out on your fun of torturing me," Lachlan replied, a smirk on his face.

Rob scoffed and pushed Lachlan, leaving a small trail of blood on Lachlan's neck. "You act like you're so tough."

"It's not an act, Rob. We aren't all pussy cats," Lachlan replied.

Rob growled and slammed a punch into Lachlan's stomach, watching as Lachlan doubled over and gasped in pain. Rob watched for a moment, then reached down and pulled Lachlan's face up to him. "See, I think this is all a charade," he snarled, his face inches away from Lachlan's. "You act so tough, but who are you acting tough for? Yourself?" Rob laughed and let go of Lachlan, walking back into the shadows. "Because you have no one now. No Pack, no friends. And as for that little Vikky..." Rob trailed off watching Lachlan glared at him.

"If you so much as lay a hand on him," Lachlan warned.

"You'll what?" Rob mocked. "And don't worry, **I** have no intention of hurting him. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the rest of the Sidemen. They're quite angry about his betrayal, to say the least. I've heard that his punishment is.." Rob paused, watching as Lachlan hung onto every word. He walked next to Lachlan, and whispered in his ear, "death."

Lachlan snapped, lunging at Rob. But Rob had anticipated that, and he was already safely in the shadows.

"I'll kill them. All of them," Lachlan vowed.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Rob asked, and even Lachlan could hear the slight mocking tone.

"Let me go," Lachlan begged. "Let me out. I'll come back, but I need to save him."

Rob laughed. "I would, but if my calculations are correct," Rob paused, looking at his watch, "Vik's already dead. Died a minute ago actually."

"You BASTARD!" Lachlan snarled, lunging at Rob.

But Rob only laughed and walked away. "Guess you better be careful who you betray."

Lachlan listened as his footsteps slowly faded away, heard the slam of the door, of the bolts moving, and felt the flicker of electricity before he was plunged into darkness.

Lachlan groaned and stared up, up at the ceiling that he could not see. “Please, please keep him safe. If there’s a god or gods or whatever godly force, just keep Vik safe. Please,” Lachlan begged. But the shadows gave him no answer, leaving Lachlan to sigh and remember how he had ended up here.

 

 

_“What do you plan to do, Lachlan?” Jerome demanded, looking at Lachlan like he was crazy._

_“I’m going to tell the Pack that the Sidemen are going to attack,” Lachlan explained, for the twentieth time._

_“And that you want them to run away?” Jerome continued. “They’ll never do that! You should know as much Lachlan, even if Vik doesn’t. Just tell them everything you know.”_

_“I can’t. I promised Vik.”_

_“Well that was fucking brilliant wasn’t it?” Mitch interrupted, the scorn evident in his voice._

_“I can’t betray him Mitch,” Lachlan replied, already sick of this argument._

_“Yeah, but you’re more than happy to betray us, your family, your PACK,” Mitch growled back. He too, was sick of Lachlan defending Vik. “Why is Vik more important than us, Lachlan? Why do you seem to care more about him than you ever did about me or Jerome or the rest of the Pack?” Mitch demanded._

_Both Lachlan and Jerome froze. Jerome knowing that Mitch had gone too far with that comment._

_“What the hell did you just say?” Lachlan demanded, whirling around to face Mitch._

_“You heard me,” Mitch replied, crossing his arms._

_“Yeah I did, just can’t believe that you would so self centered!” Lachlan shot back._

_“Self centered?” Mitch asked, incredulous. “We have been your brothers for how many fucking years Lachlan? How many? And then Vik comes into your life, and all of a sudden, we don’t matter for shit!”_

_Lachlan stiffened, opening his mouth to fire a retort, but Mitch wasn’t done._

_“No. Shut up and listen Lachlan. You planned to lead this group, we all respected you, supported your ideas. You were joint second, but then Vik comes along, and you give in, let Rob have second. You turned Preston and Robb against you, all for JJ’s fuck boy.”_

_“Don’t call him that!” Lachlan snarled, lunging at Mitch._

_“Why? You let Jerome risk his life to heal Vik, knowing if Preston found out, he’d be dead. And then you ditch us, your friends, you don’t show up at meetings, ignoring all of us, all the while you’re going out to train Vik to fight. What about those in the gang here that you could teach? Were they not enough?” Mitch yelled._

_“That’s not it. Vik needed to learn, he was defenseless,” Lachlan replied, circling Mitch as Jerome stood off to the side, knowing that this was going to screw them both over._

_“Well, Lachlan, I’ve had to lead in your place, I’ve had to take your job, help support everyone, give them faith in YOU. You didn’t even deserve it!” Mitch snapped, lunging at Lachlan._

_Lachlan shifted to side, and swung out his fist, catching Mitch across the face. “Why should I care Mitch? I did what was necessary! We need information, and I found out what the Sidemen were planning!”_

_“Yeah? And you happened to screw the cute boy too, right?” Mitch snapped, his lip starting to bleed._

_“Leave Vik out of this,” Lachlan growled. “This is between me and your bloody jealousy over the fact that I found someone, and your anger at the realization that the world doesn't revolve around you.”_

_Mitch glared before lunging at lachlan. “If you... think.. that,” he snarled between punches, “I care about that shit, that you found some boy, then you never really knew me.”_

_Lachlan grabbed Mitch and threw him against the wall, twisting Mitch’s arm. “You’re right. I could never know such a selfish bastard,” Lachlan replied, his faces inches from Mitch’s ear._

_Mitch ripped his arm from Lachlan and walked away. “You’ll get what you deserve Lachlan. One day you’ll wake up all alone. I hope you remember this moment. Remember it as the start of your life crashing down at your feet.” Mitch turner and stormed off in the direction of the Pack stronghold._

_Lachlan scoffed and walked away. “Come on Jerome.”_

_“No.” Lachlan looked at Jerome in shock._

_“What?”_

_“You heard me Lachlan,” Jerome replied sadly, looking in the direction where Mitch had disappeared._

_“So you’re choosing him?” Lachlan asked in shock._

_“I’m choosing neither of you. I agree that Mitch is being a little insensitive, but I also agree that you need to get your head outta your ass, Lachlan. Before you get yourself and everyone around you killed.” With that, Jerome walked away, following Mitch into the fog._

_Lachlan froze, staring into the fog where his two friends had disappeared. His two longest friends. Gone just like that. Lachlan stared into the mist, hoping, praying, that his two friends would walk out, apologize, say they were wrong, just as long as they came back to him. But it didn’t matter how long he searched, neither of them came._

_That was how they found him, Robb’s men. They grabbed him, and Lachlan didn’t even put up a fight. What was the point anyway? He clearly wasn’t needed here. Mitch and Jerome ran his operation for him, and Robb would be overjoyed to kill him. So Lachlan did nothing, just let them beat him until the darkness beckoned. And Lachlan walked towards it gladly. Anything was better than this pain he felt._

 

 

“Hello again, Lachlan.” Lachlan opened his eyes to see Mitch looking at him. He had apparently passed out. Well, there was only so much pain one man could take.

“Let me guess,” Lachlan asked. “You betrayed me. Gave me up to Preston and Robb.”

Mitch stiffened. Lachlan thought he saw a guilty look flash across Mitch’s face, but it was gone before Lachlan could be sure.

“I did warn Lachlan. You should’ve been more careful,” Mitch mocked.

“You’re right. I should’ve killed you when I had the chance,” Lachlan replied, watching the guilty look flash across Mitch’s face again. Lachlan had found Mitch in Pack territory. By law, he should’ve killed Mitch. But Lachlan had spared him, trained him, and let him join the Pack, had guarded his back until Mitch could take care of himself.

“That was a long time ago, Lachlan,” Mitch replied.

“Yeah it was.” Lachlan snorted and shook his head. “I saw a little boy, and I thought to protect him. Instead? I turned you into a monster.”

“No,” Mitch replied. “You made me like **you**.”

“I don’t betray my friends Mitch,” Lachlan replied, trying to convince himself that he was in the right, all while knowing it was a futile attempt.

“Really? So what was trading us for Vik? Or when we were willing to stand for you? You said no. You took the beatings, and look what’s happened to you. You’re soft. You’d rather submit than rebelled,” Mitch mocked.

Lachlan sighed. “Mitch..” he began.

“No. We supported you Lachlan! We helped you! And you know what we got for it? Beatings and punishments. You refused to fight, refused to even help us!” Mitch yelled.

“I didn’t know,” Lachlan replied, shocked. He thought that he was the only person punished for his disobedience.

“You don’t understand. Where you go, we follow. We support you. We looked to you. Instead, you ignored us. You’re just like the rest. Like Preston, like Robb. Too concerned in your own love life to give a damn about those who need you.”

“Mitch!” Lachlan called, but Mitch was already disappearing.

Lachlan knew it wouldn’t be long until they came back. Them with their knives and whips. But they weren’t the worst. It was the ones in the shadows, who taunted, who hissed, who called him a traitor, those who felt that he had wronged them. Those who used the people he loved to torment them. He was sick of those people. All he wanted was for the darkness to come, to let him sink into oblivion. He was done with all of the pain, the hurting feeling his chest, done with all of it. All he wanted was a few hours of numbness, a few hours of oblivion. That was all he wanted...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... I really have no explanation for why this took me so long. Sorry guys.


	13. Chapter 13

"Where are we?" Vik asked, cautiously creeping through the abandoned buildings.

"Shhh," whisper Jerome. "These buildings echo a ton. So be very quiet and watch where you step. Lots of traps here." 

"What?" Vik asked worriedly. "Will they kill me?"

"Oh definitely," Jerome replied, cautiously walking through the building. "And if you're too loud, the sentries will shoot you and kill you."

"Well that's great," Vik complained, very, very, quietly. 

Jerome rolled his eyes and continued stepping through the traps. Everyone in the Pack knew these traps, and if they didn't, they didn't last long. Jerome was worried about Vik though. Vik had this new quiet appearance about him that Jerome didn't like. Ever since he had rescued Vik, Vik was different. It was as though a different person had come out of being betrayed, a stronger person, a more dangerous person. It set Jerome on edge, and he couldn't help but wonder, should he really be letting someone from the other side know all of these Pack secrets?

"How are we saving Lachlan, Jerome?" Vik asked, breaking Jerome's train of thought.

"I don't know," he replied, making sure not to step on the stone that activated the arrows. "Careful," Jerome warned. "What were you thinking Vik?"

"My main plan was more to burst in through the front doors and kill anyone who dared to stop us," Vik admitted. "But it seems more suicidal than successful. Any weakness in the Pack base?"

Jerome chuckled. "What about the Sidemen base?" He countered.

Vik nodded. "Fair enough," he replied, acknowledging the fact that if the Sidemen base was impregnable, then it made sense that the Pack base would be the same. 

"The only thing I could think of," Jerome said, as he walked up the stairs, "is Lachlan's friends. They'd be more helpful to us than other members."

"So where would we find them?" Vik asked.

Jerome smiled. "I think I have an idea. Follow me," he added, pulling himself up onto the roof of the building. Vik followed, albeit a tad reluctantly.

<>

Nooch, Pete, Choco, Landon and Kenny were taking shots at Nooch's house, exactly where Jerome thought they would be.

"You stay out here, and stay hidden," Jerome told Vik. "You're Sidemen, and I want to see if they'll be open before I introduce you. No point in identifying me as a traitor if the plan will fail."

Vik nodded, "Thank you Jerome," Vik said, sincerity coloring his voice, acknowledging the huge risk Jerome was taking.

Jerome inclined his head slightly, before heading into the house. Vik, meanwhile paced and paced outside the house, hidden by a crumbling down wall. Looking around, Vik took a second to take stock of his surroundings, to see how in disrepair everything. Some of the buildings he recognized form his interludes in JJ's tactical meetings. He then recognized the place where one of the few successful Sidemen bombs had gone off. It was his only time that he had made a bomb for the Sidemen, and after he heard that it had hurt people, Vik had vowed to never make another. JJ had never been able to make another successful one, nor any Sidemen member. 

"Vik," Jerome hissed. Vik whipped his head around to see Jerome beckoning him inside.

"Successful?" Vik asked, crossing the threshold into the house.

"Obviously," answered Pete from where he was sitting.

"Vik, this is Nooch, Pete and Choco. Everyone, this is Vik," Jerome introduced.

"We had to kick out Landon," Choco added. "He's a tad too close to Preston."

"Well of course, he is!" Nooch answered. "They're cousins!"

"Don't forget Kenny as well," Jerome added. "The three of them, Preston, Landon and Kenny, they're like a squad."

"Definitely," Choco said, chuckling.

"So, let me get this straight," Vik said. "You're willing to go against your leader to help an enemy?"

Jerome groaned and mimicked banging his head into the wall.

Pete rolled his eyes. "No," he replied. "We're only helping you because helping you means helping Lachlan."

"Who is the person we really support," chimed in Choco.

"Okay," Vik replied shrugging. He didn't really care for their motives, as long as they were going to help him. "Alright then. Let's get to planning."

Jerome smiled. Maybe this would work out after all.

<>

Lachlan groaned softly, taking moment to come to his surroundings. It was a miracle he wasn't dead yet. 

"You're a sight for sore eyes," a voice commented.

Lachlan groaned again. "Hello Preston," he answered, his voice raspy for disuse. 

"How are you?" Preston asked.

"Like you give a flying shit," Lachlan retorted. He was done with playing the nice, always behaving around Preston. Besides, he couldn't be in a worse position than where he was now, chained up in the Pack dungeon, betrayed by his friends, with Vik dead, killed by the Sidemen. Lachlan had nothing left to lose.

Preston sighed. "What happened to you, Lachlan?" He asked. "You were so dedicated, so determined. You rose up through the ranks so quickly."

"And just as quickly I fell to the bottom," Lachlan added, rolling his eyes. 

"Exactly," replied Preston. "Something changed you," Preston paused. "No,  _someone_  changed you. Right?"

Lachlan stayed still. He didn't want to talk about Vik. Not here, and not now. Not with Vik's death hanging about Lachlan like a grey cloud. 

Preston snorted. "Mitch told me about your lover boy. And that the Sidemen killed him."

"If you're going to kill me, Preston," Lachlan stated in a tired voice, "then just do it. I'm sick of hearing your voice."

Preston raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware of your willingness to die. It was always my impression that you wanted to go down fighting, not just giving up."

"What have I got to fight for Preston?" Lachlan snarled. "My Pack? You've chained me up here to die. My friends? They've all left me. After all, I don't see them standing around exactly fighting for me freedom."

"And Vik?" Preston asked softly.

"He's dead Preston. He's gone. And when he needed me the most, I wasn't there, because the people I would've fought to the death for had chained me up and kept me prisoner. And now Vik's gone. Forever," Lachlan exclaimed in agony, his voice breaking at the end.

"Not quiet," Preston replied, watching as Lachlan's head jerked up in surprise. "It would appear that your friend Jerome helped free Vik form the Sidemen and they've made their way onto Pack territory in some half-cocked plan to save you."

"What?" Lachlan asked, shocked.

"Yep. Looks like you had one loyal friend. Pity you can't keep him nor your lover boy alive," Rob teased, stepping out from the shadows.

Lachlan twisted around to growl at Rob. "You lied to me," he hissed.

"Rob did no such thing Lachlan. When he informed you about Vik, that was what we had assumed. We were not counting on Jerome's betrayal," Preston replied.

"And now they'll both die," Rob teased. 

"Leave him alone Rob," a third voice came from the shadows.

"Shut the hell up Mitch," Rob replied. "You picked your side. Now at least have the decency to stay on it."

Mitch glared at Rob. "Just came to let you know, Preston," Mitch stated, putting extra emphasis on Preston's name, "that Vik and the others are on the move. They're coming towards the west entrance."

Preston nodded. "Make sure there aren't too many guards around. After all, we want them to succeed to a certain point."

"You BASTARD!" Lachlan exclaimed, lunging towards Preston.

Preston only watched coldly. "I'm sorry Lachlan, but it has to be done. Rob, it's your responsibility now. I have the Sidemen to deal with." With that, Preston strode out of the dungeon.

"Mitch, please," Lachlan begged. "Don’t let Rob kill our friends."

"Our friends aren't dying, Lachlan. Only Vik. Preston has agreed to spare Jerome, realizing that he was manipulated by you," Mitch replied, before turning and following Preston into the darkness. 

Rob snickered. "Looks like it's just me and you. I will say though, I am looking forward to watching you see your precious Vik die. After the reaction you had when I only told you about his death, I can't help but wonder how much better it'll be to have you watch Vik die."

Lachlan said nothing, taking a moment to compose himself. "How did you find out?"

"That lover boy was alive? He and Jerome went to ask other Pack members for help, members who were loyal. They immediately informed Kenny and Landon, who told Preston."

Lachlan froze. So Jerome and Vik were going to be walking into a trap, with traitors at their backs.

"I can't wait to see their faces when they realized that they've been betrayed," Rob added, a smirk upon his face. "Can't wait to see little Vikky's face when he realizes he's all alone," Rob mocked.

Lachlan growled. "If you so much as touch him,"

"You'll what? You'll hurt me? Look where you are Lachlan," Rob taunted. "When Vik comes walking through that door to his death, you won't be able to do a thing."

"You hurt him, Rob, and I will make you pay. Every hurt you give him, I'll repay tenfold. Because it doesn't matter what you do to me, whether you hurt me, whip me, chain me up, imprison me, I will always find you. And when I do Rob, I'll make you pay for every hurt you've ever given Vik," Lachlan snarled, his voice filled with utter hatred and venom.

Rob paused for a moment, then walked out, leaving Lachlan to the shadows, feeling Lachlan's eyes watching him, seizing him up.

"It doesn’t matter how far you run Rob," Lachlan called after him, hearing his footsteps walk away. "I will always,  _always_  find you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long guys. I honestly have no excuse.

**Author's Note:**

> So I don't watch the Pack videos much. If anyone does watch them a lot, and can help me out by telling me a bit about them, and who they are, I would be so grateful!


End file.
